Switch throw-rod connection



Sept. 2 1924. 1 50x491 E. C. LARRY SWITCI I THROW HOD; CONNECTION .Filed. Jan. 15. 1923 F\G.1 I

1 n n HfHKH U u u Un /U u u u g. CIYNTOR -'ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

; UNITED STATES PATENT OF 5 91 FICE. I

EDWIN C. LARRY, O'E' ROCHESTER, NEW 'YORK, ASSIGN'OR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

residin g LARRY, a States of America, at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have in-' vented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Throw-Rod Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch throw rod connections for track switches for railways. The principal'objects and purposes of this invention contemplate the construction of a throw-rod connection readily adjustable to accommodate any difference in range or extent of movement of an operating lever or switch machine relatively to. the required extent of movement of the switch points operated thereby, and to permit the necessary freedom of lateral movement to avoid sticking and binding of parts under any condition of use; in which the interengaging movable parts may be readily lubricated, which does not readily permit the ingress of dirt, moisture and the like, and which is provided with an opening to discharge the dirt or other foreign matter that may have worked its way into the mechanism.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the invention will appear as description thereof progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a detail plan view of a short length of railway track and adjustable switch points coupled to the switch-throwrod by this improved connection ,1

Fig. 2 illustrates a planview of the throw rod connection shown in Fig. 1 on a slightly larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a. side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2, portions thereof being shown in cross section; i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary portion ofFig.3,'and ig. 5 is a perspective view of the cap member shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a through rail of a main or the straight section of track, whereas'the' rail 2' is a through rail running into a turnout or siding, The switch points 3 and 4 as shown a e gly. onne ed by: a lengthwise ad;

SWITCH THROW-ROD CONNECTION.

Application filed January 1 5, 1923.

of this class, which is p a drainagehole or port.

Serial N0. 612,6 79. if

generally-indicated by C. The-throwqod 6 is operated from a switch stand, switch and lock movement, or power switch machine.

This throw-rod connector comprises a main body portion or casing 10 of general cylindrical form which is formed laterally extending top flange 11, re-enforced by ribs 12, and provided with holes (see Fig. 2) to receive bolt-S113 (see Fig. 1)"by which the connector C is fastened to the tie rod 6. Around the ends of the casing 10 are external rounded ridges or beads 14.-- On the inside of the casing 10,'-near the middle, is a perforated ment 15,.formed by'an integral flange or by spaced lugs; and opposite this abutment' 15 partition-or abut- 1s a hole 16in the casinglO through which dirt, Cinders,

water or foreign matter may work its way out, this hole 16 constituting" The threaded portion of the throw-rod 7 extends through the opening inside ,the flange formingthe abutment 15, andhas threaded thereon long cylindrical nuts 17- which are provided with integral hexagonal heads 18, and-which are locked in-place'by These cylindrical nuts 17 are sospaced that the lost motion, due to end wise movement of the throw-rod 7, equal to the difference of the throw of the switch machine or operating lever, and that of the tie rod in moving the. switch'points from one to the'other. extreme position. The cylindrical nuts 17 are'somewhatsmaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the casing 10 of the throw-rodconnector, so that acertain amountof lateral movement will not cause binding of the parts and that the desiredlost motion will be present'and the proper throw be transmitted to -.th e switch points. Nearteach end and at the top ofv the mainzbody portion 10 is provided an oil'hole'20 to facilitate the lubrication of v the inter-engaging parts- The cylindrical nuts :17 are'of -a length so that the cylindricalportion thereof 'e.\ftends outside the casing 10 at all times, and are provided with snugly fitting metal washers '21" which are just large. enoughto allow the nutsl'f to move freelyendwise' 7 look nuts 19.

will be tilted to engage theIcasi-ngs- 10 and in the place, the set screw therein. These washers 21 are held againstthe flat ends of the; casings 10 by suitable retaining members or caps 22, as more specifically shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

These caps 22 are preferably cast of malleableiron, and have integral therewith an extending lug 23 provided witha, threaded hole for a set screw 24. Diagonally opposite to this lug 23 each cap 22 is provided with two ears 25 spaced a short distance apart (about 45 degrees) toform in connection with the: lug; 2 3 a, three-point attachment for the cap 22;

These ears of eachcap 22 are cast or bent ina hook shape, as shown, to fit over thebead let of the casing lOi Theispacing of he e-ears 2-5, nd h eng h of he is-2 s lest l 9 ha t can 22 may e se Over thetend of thecasing 10, the cap being first e ears 2 an hen straightened up. Since the caps 22 are made i mall bleiren, he ea s nd lugs may be bent slightly to, accommodate slight variations in the outside diameter of depth or width of the beads 14., After-the cap 22 is in 24; is set up tight, its end being reduced and shouldered as shown to enter the oil passage 20 in the casing. When. the set screw 24: is tightened, the wholecap 22 is drawn up until the ears 25 grip the bead 14 tightly, whereupon the cap is held firmly in place and without any play.

The ears 25 and the lug 23 are, so proportioned that when thecap is in place, there is an annular space for the washer 21 between the cap and the finished end face of'the casing 10, as shown inFig. 4:. This space is a little wider or deeper than thethickness of the washer 2l,'at least enough to avoidbindingor jamming ofsaid washer; and thediameter of the space is considerably larger than the outside. diameter of the washer 21, suiiicientto allow said washer to move with thenut 17 as the throw-rod 7 is rocked or tilted with respect to the casing 10. Each time the throwbar 7 is shifted, the washers 21 are moved bythe friction betweenthem and the nuts 17 into a relatively tight engagement with an end face of the casing 10-or an inside face of a cap 22, as the'case may be, thereby pro viding asubstantiallydirt and water tight closure-Hat each-end of thecasing 10 and preventing.theaccummulation of dirt, snow, eta, inside of-thecasing tointerferewith the necessary lost motion-between said casing andrthe adjustable nuts 17 and destroy the adjustment. These washers 21, however, are different from a packing, permit-- free turning and tiltingiofthe throw-bar 7 as it is moved.

A throw-rod:cennector has thus been provided which allows endwise adjustmentot partssto take care. of any change ofthe relative position of the operating lever or switch machine with respect tothat, of the switch points to be operated, and which allows adjustment to vary the amount of lost motion so that the effective movement ofthe tie rod 6 may be such as desired all of which is accomplished by a simple and durable device which is reliable because it is constructed to keep out dirt and other foreign matter which would be apt to clog or bind the relatively movable parts, which! has a drainag opening wherebyany foreign matter that may work itsiway into the casing 10 can pass out through this opening, Fun

ther, this switch throw-rod connector is-tprov-ided with oil holes-which f-acilitateproper lubrication of thepar-ts, and which areassured to be closed when not. in use for lubricati n purpos s, because th an me bers will not be properly clamped'in placex unless the set screws extend. intothes oil holes.

Although one particular construction has been shown and physical the operation and principles thereof have been explained, nevertheless it should be. understood that the form selected is merely illustrative. and does. not exhaustqall pos sible physical embodiments ofthe idea; of means underlying thepresent invention.

Vhat is vclaimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is 1. A throw-rod connector comprisingan described illustrating one elongated casing havingopen ends. and

provided with an internal abutment near its middle and having a drainage opening near said abutment and oil holesnearits ends, a throw-rod extendingthrough said casing provided with adjustable stopsadapted to engage said abutment, and'cap members closing the ends of said casing and said oil holes.

2. A throw-rod connector comprising, a

tubular casing having an internal abutment near its middle and provided with an Oll hole near each end and adrainage hole near said abutment, a throw-rod extending through said casing, adjustable stops on said throw-rod. adapted to engage said? abutment, cap members having hooks embracing the ends of said casing and provided with screws anchored in said oil'holes,

A- switch throwerodvconnector corna throwwod enternigflhe prising, a casing, casmg. an abutmentm the-casing-through which the rod freely passes, two adjustable stopmembers on said rod, one on each side of the abutment having movementcleargnce relatively thereto and normally resting on the bottoms of the casing chambers-which contain them, saidcasingfhaving ahottom dust, dirt andmoisture clearance opening at the abutment, and annular cap members embodiment. of the invention, and

4. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, a casing, a screw threaded throw-rod entering the casing, an abutment in the casing through which the rod freely passes, two nuts on the rod, one on each side of the abutment and having movement clearance relative thereto, close fitting washers on said nuts outside the ends of said casing, said casing having a drainage opening through the bottom near the abutment, and detachable caps holding said washers in place.

5. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, a casing, a screw-threaded rod entering f e casing, an abutment in the casing through which the rod freely passes. two cylindrical nuts on the rod each having a polygonal extension, one at each side of the abutment, close fitting washers on the cylindrical portions of said nuts arranged to bear against the end faces of said casing, said casing having oil holes in the top near each end, and annular retaining members having screws normally closing said oil holes and for holding said washers against said casing but allowing considerablev transverse movement of said washers and nuts.

6. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, a casing having a bead at each end, a screw-threaded throw-rod entering the easing, an abutment in the casing through which the rod freely passes, two nuts on the rod one at each side of the abutment and having movement clearance relatively thereto and normally resting on the bottoms of the casing chambers which contain them,

and annular cap members encircling said nuts each provided with two hooks engaging said beads and provided with a set screw directly opposite said hooks to form a threepoint suspension closure, said casing having a bottom dust, dirt and moisture clearance opening at the abutment.

7. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, an elongated cylindrical casing provided with an internal abutment, a throwrod extending through said casing, adjustable stop members on said rod arranged to engage said abutment and detachable caps for closing the ends of said casing, each cap having three rigid projections adapted to fit over the ends of said casing and hold the caps in place.

8. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, an elongated cylindrical casing provided with an internal abutment, a throwof said stop members rod extending through'said casing, adjustable stop members on said rod arranged to engage said abutment, detachable perforated caps encircling said rod and screw fastened to the ends of the casing in a manner to form annular grooves, and 'washers snugly fitting around said stop members and disposed in said grooves, said washersbeing of a diameter to allow considerable lateral movement of said stop members and throw-rod.

9. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, an elongated cylindrical casing prosald groove, said'washers being of a diameter to allow considerable lateral movement and throw-rod, each of said cap members having three rigid projections to form a three-point suspension, one of said projections being provided with adjustable clamping means.

10. A switch throw-rod connector comprising, an elongated cylindrical casing provided with an internal abutment, a

throw-rod extending through said casing, adjustable stop members on said rod arranged to engage said abutment, detachable perforated cap members surrounding said throw-rod and fastened to the ends of said casing in a manner to form annular grooves defined by said cap members and the ends of said casing, and washers fitting snugly aroundsaid stop members and disposed in said grooves which have an external diameter allowing considerable latera lmovement of said stop members and throw-rod, said casing being provided with an oil hole near each end, each of said cap members having three rigid projections to form a threepoint suspension one of which'is provided with an adjustable screw which normally extends into and closes its corresponding oil hole in said casing.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my signature.

EDWIN o. LARRY. 

